+1, Try +41 by Ethan Parry

In the world of social media, we have shares, likes, tweets and +1s. The latter is used on Google’s social network, Google+. I must admit that I haven’t been the most active on Google+, but after reading this article I decided that I should at least create a page for the company where I work. Even though Google+ lags slightly behind Twitter and Facebook in terms of users, it is gaining in popularity. I still prefer other social networks, but remain optimistic about Google+’s future. I was made especially aware of the potential for Google+ after watching the announcements made at Google’s I/O Developer Conference last week regarding it. 41 new features were added.

Changes to Stream:

New layout- the layout is divided into several columns, dependent on how big your screen is and its orientation. The layout is very similar to that of Facebook and Pinterest.

Media driven- photos are the primary focus. The content is divided into multiple columns, depending on the size of your screen and its orientation. Google+ also takes photos to a whole new level. You can back them up to the cloud, having an auto correct option, and making it seamless to organize your photos how you want them.

Animations- the menus move, the cards flip and everything is more interactive.

Google+ is all about helping you have the conversations you need to have. Hangouts is now available as a stand-alone app. It is available for Android and iOS. I like its clean layout and its responsiveness. Another nice feature is that you can save conversations. That way you can always go back to them if you need to.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahy3uRzRG9w?rel=0]

Hashtags:

Hashtags, unique to only Twitter and Google+ at the moment, have also seen some changes. Hashtags on Google+ are now automatic. Every time an individual posts something, Google+ automatically gives a hashtag and then suggests similar content to you. If you do not like the automatic hashtag that was assigned, you can simply delete it.